Filing receptacle and index



(No Model.) r

G. H. RICHTER. FILING REOEPTAGLE AND INDEX.

o. 562,422. PatentedJune 23 1896..

m /wsses:

ANDREW B GRAHAM. vHOTO-UTHQWASHINGTON. D C

NITED STATES PATENT Enron.

GEORGE HENRY RICHTER, OF BROOKLINE, MASSACHUSETTS.

FILING RECEPTACLE AND INDEX.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 562,422, dated June 23, 1896..

Application filed May 2, 1895. Serial No. 547,898. (No model.)

To aZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, GEORGE HENRY R1011- TER, a citizen of the United States, residing at Brookline, in the county of Norfolk and State of Massachusetts, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Filing Receptacles and Indexes; and I do declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the letters of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

My invention relates to an improvement in receptacles and indexes used in letter or paper filing cases or cabinets; and it consists in the combination and arrangement of parts, which will be more fully described hereinafter, and pointed out in the claims.

The objects of my invention are to provide a filing receptacle or drawer, so constructed that the index-sheets can in no event become detached from their fastening-wires; to enable new indexes to be easily substituted for filled ones, so that the transfer to a binding case of an index filled with letters may be quickly made; to hold the index-wire immovable until it is desirable to transfer the papers to the binding-case; to hold the papers in position by means of aweighted cover, which holds down the front edges of the sheets filed better than the spring devices heretofore used in this type of files.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a perspective of a filin -receptacle which e1nbodies my invention. Figs. 2 and 3 are de tail views of the wires a. Figs. 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, and 11 are detail views of different forms of the metallic frames in which the wires 01. are made to catch. Figs. 12 and 13 are detail views of one form of the weight which is applied to the top sheet. Figs. 14 and 15 show another form of the weight and the manner of attaching it. Figs. 15, 16, 1'7, 18, and 19 also show different forms of the weight and the manner of attaching it to the top sheet.

A represents a file-drawer, having its inner corners cut away, as shown, and O a filingcase provided with a hinged end and cover in the usual manner. In the outer end of both the drawer and filing-case are formed suitable recesses which extend vertically, and in which are placed the angular frames 1), and which are provided with longitudinal slots through which the ends of the wires a. pass in placing the indexes in position and removing them therefrom.

The holding or fastening wires a have each of their ends made U-shaped, as shown in Figs. 2 and 3, and the point of each end is formed into a loop (1 of sufficient width to slide freely in the frames ('2, as shown in Fig. 1. One end has its loop (1 closed when the wire is first made, but the other loop is left partly open, so that the index-sheets and the cover A can be strung upon the wire, and then the loop is closed, so that they cannot become detached.

Instead of holding the index to the side of the drawer, as shown in Fig. 1, the index-wire loops may be fastened directly to the side of the file-drawer or transfer-case by means of tacks, screws, rivets, or washers, or by hooks, staples, or other similar fastening means.

The slotted frames h (shown in Fig. 1) answer all ordinary purposes, and are simply fastened in place by small tacks c or other similar fastening devices, but should it be desirable to make the wires only removable under a direct application of force the frames D or G or X will be specially constructed for this purpose.

In Figs. 5, 6, and 7 the frames are shown indented, as at e g, the one being upon one side of the case and at one end, and the other being upon the opposite side and at the opposite end. The loops 61 will have to be forced past these indentations in being inserted into position, and the indentations exert enough frictional contact to prevent the wires from being accidentally displaced.

Should it be preferred, the free edges of the frames may be bent inwardly, as shown in Figs. 8 and 9, so that these edges will exert a frictional contact upon the loops for the purpose of holding them in position.

In Figs. 10 and 11 two square holes are punched in the back of the holder D, and a spring is inserted, havin a knob or indentatio 1], at the lower end, and projecting through one of the holes. The loop (Z passes over this knob and is thereby prevented. from. rising out of place. All of these frames b, 'D, G, or X are provided with small perforations, as shown, and through which the tack, nail, screw, or other fastening device is passed for the purpose of securing them in position. The vertical openings through the sides of the frames allow the lower ends of the holdingwires to be inserted into position, and the two ends of the wires are always held in a line with each other and all lateral displacement is prevented.

The sheets of the index are provided with holes 2', through which the wires a are passed, and these sheets may be raised and lowered upon the wires at will for the purpose of inserting letters, papers, or bills of any kind between them. The top sheet of the index A has its inner edge folded upon itself and fastened, thus forming a stiffening-strip, which prevents the warping and twisting of indexcoversheretofore used in other files. As the index A is threaded upon the wires a, it is evident that the index and wires are removable together, and therefore when the filedrawer has become filled with letters or papers the index and wire are removed bodily by withdrawing the loops d cl from the holders b and transferring the paper-filled index bodily to the transfer-case, and the loops d cl of wires a are slid into similar holders Z), fastened in the binding-case. (Shown in dotted lines in Fig. 1.)

The cover or top sheet of the index is made from enamel-board or some such thin fiexible material, and is folded over, so as to include the metal or other heavy strip B, and is then fastened by glue or other means, so as toleave the metal strip unfastened and removable at pleasure from its inclosure. Should it be desired to retain this strip permanently in position, it may be fastened to the cover by any suitable fastening means.

In Figs. 17 and 18 a strip of metal or other heavy material B has lugs punched from it which pass through the cover A and secure said strip thereto. The strip B may be either on the upper or under side of the cover A; but if on the upper side it will preferably be given an ornamental finish.

In Figs. 12 and 13 the weight 13 is made U shaped and of some elastic material, so that its edges will spring together over the end of the cover A, and clamp itself thereto, and remain practically a part of said cover unless pulled outward by more than ordinary force. The holding power of this pring may be increased by inserting a raised eyelet or other raised point in the thin or flexible part of the cover, or by raised points in the weight engaging in corresponding holes in the coversheet. The ends of these springs B may be closed, so as to prevent the removal endwise thereof from the cover, and lugs may be punched from the cover to secure it permanently to the flexible portion thereof.

In Figs. 16 and 19 the weight 13 is made of a sheet of metal or other heavy substance folded as shown, and adapted to be entwined with cover of thin or flexible material A,

which also has its edge folded as shown.

This folded edge of the thin or flexible portion of the cover being fastened to the cover.

proper, it forms a stop which prevents the removal of the weight from the front. The holding power of said weight may be increased by inserting in this thin or flexible cover a raised eyelet O, and a hole corresponding thereto in the weight, which snaps over the eyelet, and secures the weight from any ordinary endwise pull, or by placing holes in the thin or flexible cover, and punching corresponding raised points on the weight to engage therewith.

An index made with my stiffened or reinforced cover may have its sheets held together by a binding tape or string passing loosely through the holes in said index-sheets, and then having its ends eyeleted to the top or to the bottom cover, permitting the expansion of the index as it becomes filled with papers, and thus securinga firmer and better fastening than by the old method of gluing the tape to the index-cover.

I overcome the warping or twisting of indexcovers heretofore prevalent, in the following manner: The cover-sheet is stiffened by folding the front or back edge of the same, preferably however both upon itself, and fastening to the cover proper by an adhesive or other means. As an equivalent, a separate strip of stiff material may be bent to a V shape, the edge of the cover inserted into the said V and then the latter fastened down, so as to obtain three thicknesses of material at that edge.

Having thus described my invention, I claim 1. A filing case or drawer, and a slotted metallic frame inserted in one end thereof, combined with a wire bent at right angles near each of its ends, and then having its ends formed into loops to fit in the frame, and turned inwardly toward each other so as to be in a line with the main body of the wire, substantially as shown.

2. In a filing case or drawer, a coveringsheet, combined with a removable weight socured to its outer edge, substantially as described.

3. In a filing ease or drawer, a coveringsheet, combined with a removable weight applied to the edge thereof, the weight being formed of elastic metal which is doubled upon itself, so as to receive the edge of the sheet lIJGtVIVGGII its two edges, substantially as set 'ort 1.

4. In a filing case or drawer, a covering- In testimony whereof I affix my signature sheet, provided with an eyelet or catch, comin presence of two Witnesses.

bined with a removable U-shaped WGi ht 1 i 1 Which is applied to the outer edge of the she et, GEORGE HENRY RICHTER 5 said Weight being elastic, and provided With Witnesses:

an opening to catch over the eyelet or catch, J. W. NEWTON, substantially as specified. CHESTER WING. 

